


the birds will sing for us

by strawberriez8800 (orphan_account)



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Canon Compliant, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23444908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/strawberriez8800
Summary: Thomas liked to look at Richard when he thought he wasn’t paying attention.
Relationships: Thomas Barrow/Richard Ellis
Comments: 4
Kudos: 73





	the birds will sing for us

**Author's Note:**

> Title from the song 'the birds will sing for us' - Ed Harcourt.
> 
> Product of a sudden surge of inspiration to write a snippet for this lovely pair.

Thomas liked to look at Richard when he thought he wasn’t paying attention.

Little did Thomas know just _how much_ Richard paid attention. And he wouldn’t, for a little while, because heaven forbid should Richard scare away the most beautiful man he had seen in god knows how long. 

(If only the Buckingham Palace were so generous on this front, Richard thought.)

Richard continued to let Thomas think he was getting away with it all, with _staring_ , because, really, there was nothing else so flattering as being ogled by someone this handsome.

So, for the duration of his stay at Downton Abbey, Richard let Thomas look at him. Across the dining table. In the halls. On the streets under the moonlight and glowing lamps and it was all very thrilling and charming and romantic.

Christ, Richard was but a man of thirty-five and around Thomas Barrow he felt like a boy of fifteen stumbling across his first love all over again. That was all right, Richard thought, for he wasn’t about to deny himself such a pleasure, and certainly not Thomas - not when there was so little time left for the both of them.

 _For now_ , Richard corrected himself with a smile as he sneaked a glance at Thomas.

He reached for his pendant, idly, toying it about in his palm before slipping it back into his pocket.

There would be more time for them; of this he was certain.

He bid Thomas good night, and returned to his quarters, wishing their rooms were just a little bit closer yet all at once _glad_ that they weren’t, if only to keep himself from barging into Thomas’s room to kiss him _stupid -_

In time, Richard reminded himself.


End file.
